The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 3:40 am PDT (10:40 UTC)

Santa Barbara Municipal to Waukegan Ntl Airport SBA → UGN

1,568 nautical miles (1,804 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 063°, about 049° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 64-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:11 pm CDT (19:11 UTC). Right now SBA is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 4 knots; UGN is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 1 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words

Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of

  • SIGMET W20W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 26,000 ft, moving from the south at 35 knots, until 4:55 am PDT (11:55 UTC). Over the route from 340 to 399 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120955
    MKCW WST 120955
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 20W
    VALID UNTIL 1155Z
    AZ UT NV
    FROM 50E ELY-40ENE BCE-70NNE PGS-70N LAS-ELY-50E ELY
    AREA TS MOV FROM 20035KT. TOPS TO FL260.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 20 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 120 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 110 to 579 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 270 to 320 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 320 to 679 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 370 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 380 to 839 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 599 to 799 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 639 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 789 to 859 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 989 to 1418 nm out.

A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from SBA.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • A359 at 38,000 ft, 38 nm southeast, 3:13 am PDT (10:13 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-37. 649 nm along the route, 38 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    GUC UA /OV HBU185015/TM 1013/FL380/TP A359/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC-37
    Report
    a routine report filed through GUC
    Where
    15 nm south (185°) of HBU
    Time
    10:13 UTC
    Height
    at 38,000 ft
    Aircraft
    A359
    Turbulence
    continuous light chop
    Remarks
    ZDVWC-37
  • B38M at 37,000 ft, 43 nm south, 12:42 am PDT (07:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: mtw +/-7KT zdvwc. 729 nm along the route, 43 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    PUB UA /OV PUB280055/TM 0742/FL370/TP B38M/TB LGT CHOP/RM MTW +/-7KT. ZDVWC
    Report
    a routine report filed through PUB
    Where
    55 nm west (280°) of PUB
    Time
    07:42 UTC
    Height
    at 37,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B38M
    Turbulence
    light chop
    Remarks
    mtw +/-7KT zdvwc
  • B38M at 22,000 ft, 13 nm southeast, 1:14 am PDT (08:14 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. 739 nm along the route, 13 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN216059/TM 0814/FL220/TP B38M/TB NEG/RM ZDVWC
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    59 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
    Time
    08:14 UTC
    Height
    at 22,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B38M
    Turbulence
    none
    Remarks
    zdvwc
  • B763 at 23,000 ft, 36 nm north, 3:26 am PDT (10:26 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. 759 nm along the route, 36 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN278037/TM 1026/FL230/TP B763/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    37 nm west (278°) of DEN
    Time
    10:26 UTC
    Height
    at 23,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B763
    Turbulence
    occasional light chop
    Remarks
    zdvwc
  • B737 descending, 16 nm north, 1:10 am PDT (08:10 UTC): light chop turbulence. 789 nm along the route, 16 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0810/FLDURD/TP B737/TB LGT CHOP
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    over DEN
    Time
    08:10 UTC
    Height
    during the descent
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    light chop

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed

The eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 12 forecast points nearest it (SBA, WJF, LAS, BCE, GJT, DEN, GLD, GRI, OMA, DSM, DBQ, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
5,500 ft240° at 27 kt−26 kt12 °C146 kt10 h 44 min4:24 pm CDT (21:24 UTC)
7,500 ft240° at 24 kt−24 kt11 °C144 kt10 h 53 min4:33 pm CDT (21:33 UTC)
9,500 ft230° at 24 kt−23 kt8 °C143 kt10 h 58 min4:38 pm CDT (21:38 UTC)
11,500 ft230° at 26 kt−24 kt3 °C144 kt10 h 53 min4:33 pm CDT (21:33 UTC)
13,500 ft230° at 29 kt−27 kt-1 °C147 kt10 h 40 min4:20 pm CDT (21:20 UTC)
15,500 ft230° at 33 kt−31 kt-6 °C151 kt10 h 23 min4:03 pm CDT (21:03 UTC)
17,500 ft230° at 37 kt−34 kt-10 °C154 kt10 h 11 min3:51 pm CDT (20:51 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 38 kt−35 kt-11 °C155 kt10 h 07 min3:47 pm CDT (20:47 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 47 kt−46 kt-21 °C166 kt9 h 27 min3:07 pm CDT (20:07 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 57 kt−57 kt-31 °C177 kt8 h 52 min2:32 pm CDT (19:32 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 62 kt−64 kt-37 °C184 kt8 h 31 min2:11 pm CDT (19:11 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 60 kt−61 kt-46 °C181 kt8 h 40 min2:20 pm CDT (19:20 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.

The forecast points as issued
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
SBAused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the lineL/V220/9 2°240/16 1°240/19 -3°260/25 -13°260/27 -24°230/37 -31°220/54 -37°220/52 -45°
WJFused from 50 nm out; 20 nm from the line210/26 4°210/28 2°230/23 -4°240/28 -13°220/47 -23°220/57 -30°220/65 -37°220/59 -45°
LASused from 150 nm out; 76 nm from the line210/20 8°210/29 4°200/32 -3°200/51 -15°210/64 -21°220/70 -30°220/66 -38°220/55 -44°
BCEused from 350 nm out; 51 nm from the line200/32 -2°210/57 -15°220/71 -22°220/69 -30°220/64 -38°220/67 -44°
GJTused from 499 nm out; 94 nm from the line220/26 6°230/39 0°220/55 -13°230/60 -23°230/78 -31°230/80 -35°230/74 -44°
DENused from 699 nm out; 72 nm from the line270/24 11°230/13 5°230/48 -8°230/46 -20°230/63 -30°240/78 -36°240/78 -48°
GLDused from 849 nm out; 67 nm from the line260/37260/25 14°250/27 8°230/36 -8°230/49 -21°250/71 -30°260/82 -36°250/73 -48°
GRIused from 999 nm out; 68 nm from the line230/39 23°230/32 15°210/29 7°230/31 -8°230/43 -21°250/52 -31°260/59 -35°260/59 -46°
OMAused from 1149 nm out; 30 nm from the line230/47240/33 21°230/22 13°220/27 5°240/35 -8°250/43 -21°260/47 -33°260/59 -36°270/58 -46°
DSMused from 1248 nm out; 33 nm from the line250/47260/25 20°240/19 11°240/31 5°250/26 -9°260/38 -20°260/47 -34°270/58 -37°270/61 -47°
DBQused from 1398 nm out; 26 nm from the line250/27260/23 17°240/26 10°260/30 4°280/26 -9°280/36 -21°270/41 -36°280/52 -41°290/67 -48°
JOTused from 1498 nm out; 58 nm from the line250/25260/22 14°250/17 9°270/21 5°280/28 -8°280/36 -20°270/41 -35°280/57 -42°290/65 -50°

The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
SBA Santa Barbara, CA departure VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,800 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet from the north-northwest (330°) at 4 knots 10+ mi 4,800 ft 13 ft 2:53 am PDT (09:53 UTC)
MHV Mojave, CA 90 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,900 feet from the west-southwest (240°) at 13 knots 10+ mi 3,900 ft 2,801 ft 07:15 UTC
VGT Las Vegas, NV 250 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR from the east (100°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 2,205 ft 09:53 UTC
AZC Colorado City, AZ 370 nm out, 7 nm south of the line VFR from the east (100°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 4,873 ft 10:15 UTC
AIB Nucla, CO 589 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line IFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet Weather: light rain from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots 1.5 mi 6,000 ft 5,945 ft 07:15 UTC
APA Denver, CO 779 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the south (170°) at 12 knots 10+ mi none 5,884 ft 09:53 UTC
CFO Denver, CO 799 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22 10+ mi none 5,515 ft 10:15 UTC
GRI Grand Island, NE 1089 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 13 knots 10+ mi none 1,847 ft 09:53 UTC
OMA Omaha, NE 1198 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 984 ft 09:52 UTC
CID Cedar Rapids, IA 1398 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots 10+ mi none 869 ft 09:52 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL 1508 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet from the southeast (130°) at 3 knots 10+ mi 25,000 ft 742 ft 09:54 UTC
UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL destination VFR from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 728 ft 4:51 am CDT (09:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,945 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At UGN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:11 pm CDT (19:11 UTC)

UGN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

The forecast for SBA, the departure
  • From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 4,000 feet
  • From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 230 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
  • 6/8808 Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 10 nm from the route, 250 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZLA
  • 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 20 nm from the route, 749 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV

Daylight

Sunset at SBA 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC), at UGN 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)).

Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.

Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads

Radar now, the Pacific Southwest
Radar now, the Pacific Southwest · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Santa Barbara Municipal, Waukegan Ntl Airport.